Monday, March 15, 2010

New Jersey's Trigger formed in 1973 and spent its first three years playing the circuit until landing a production deal with Big Guy Productions in 1976. Within the next year, the band had signed with Casablanca Records and began work on its major label self-titled debut. The album hit shelves in early 1978 and was met with critical praise. Follow up work began on the next album the following year, but production complications halted the release, prompting Casablanca to drop the band from its roster. The band soldiered onward and continued playing in various incarnations until 1985. In 2001, guitarist Jimmy Duggan passed away but the band's loyal fanbase never waivered, which prompted a reunion show on August 16th, 2009. Around this time, "Trigger" was issued on CD for the first time. The remaining members are essentially retired from the business, though there are hopes of additional reunion dates in the near future.

What we have here is "Trigger Treat", the band's semi-legendary and quite rare debut album. Released on the band's own label, Parliament Records, the album circulated around the tri-state area in 1975, helping to increase the band's visibility. Though it did little to capture the band's live sound, it was the impetus in getting the band in touch with major players in the music business. If you own the band's LP from '78, you will be quite surprised at the difference heard here. The band's punchy powerpop sound had yet developed, as "Trigger Treat" sees them trying to find their musical identity. Most of side one is comprised of light fare with a decidedly more pedestrian slant. You'll hear lots of pseudo-disco influences creeping into the arrangements and virtually zero distortion. Side two picks up considerably with the first cut being "Somebody Like You", a primitive version of the track that would later be the first single from their Casablanca album. Most of the highlights are found here, with the standouts being "Little Girl (My Sweet Babe)" and "You Can't Stop Now".

Overall, this album nets only an average rating from me, but there's no denying the demand for this rare slab of homegrown vinyl. Trigger fans will most definitely wanna check this out as well as lovers of mid-fi private LP releases. Whatever your tastes, enjoy this HQ rip of this long lost relic!

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